Thursday, June 14, 2012

The Fiddler {Review}

Amelia Devries has a promising violin career traveling the world under her father and manager's direction. Amy Lee plays the fiddle with an unmatched passion, wild and free. The twist? Amelia and Amy are one in the same.

Living a double life between pleasing her father and following her passion, Amelia finds herself lost returning home from a fiddling job. Driving down a lonely road, she runs into car trouble and lands at the mercy of a young stranger searching out his own future.

Michael is caught in his struggle to choose between two worlds. Raised Amish and expected to join the church, Michael is drawn to the world, knowing that doesn't mean leaving Christ. But will his family understand?

Amish and Englisher... Plain and Fancy... the connection between these two sparks a chain of events that will force each to find THEIR way, not what is expected of them. Can Amelia confront her manager and choose what the Lord desires for her? Can Michael be real with his family and pursue his own path?

Beverly Lewis is a renowned Amish fiction writer and expertly crafts another wonderful book. The characters are deep and their struggles are real. I found myself pulling for both Amelia and Michael numerous times throughout this novel. As they think throughout their futures, both characters must search out what they truly believe about family, faith, and glorifying the Lord. Lewis has a wonderful way of expressing a deep heartfelt faith without preaching to her audience. I never felt like I was being hit over the head with her message. Rather, I connected with the characters and related to their lives.

My only problem with the book was the last couple of chapters. The book moved so smoothly and the characters and action was so well developed... until the end. It was as if the author was rushing to tie up loose ends. Everything felt rushed... incomplete... stretching to finish the story.

All in all it was a good book. Lewis writes wonderful fiction that allows the reader to enjoy the story, enjoy the process of discovering these characters and how they grow. Well worth the read.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book for review from Bethany House Publishers for review. All opinions are mine.